UNA PIPA - Mar del Plata
Look, Una Pipa isn't going to blow your mind with dramatic drop-offs or schools of hammerheads, but it’s a genuinely fun dive if you’re in Mar del Plata and fancy something a bit different. This is a shallow wreck, only three metres deep, the remains of an old launch vessel that met an unfortunate end. We love it because it’s so accessible, perfect for a relaxed dive, especially for those newer to wreck diving or just keen for a quick dip after lunch. What you get here is a surprisingly intact, if somewhat collapsed, wreck that’s been thoroughly colonised by local marine life. Think vibrant green anemones clinging to rusted metal, small crabs scuttling between the plates, and the occasional silverside darting through the shadowed interior. On a sunny day, the light filters down through the shallow water, illuminating the wreck in a way that just feels peaceful. We’d suggest going early in the morning before any wind picks up, when the surface is calmer and visibility is at its best. It's a fantastic spot for photographers looking to capture that interplay of light and decay, or just for enjoying an easy, unpretentious wreck dive.
- Location
- Mar del Plata, Argentina, South America
- Coordinates
- -34.629166, -58.339720
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 3m
Best Time to Dive in Mar del Plata
The warmest water temperatures in Mar del Plata occur in January, averaging 26.7°C. The coolest conditions are in July at 11.0°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 26.7°C
- February: 25.8°C
- March: 24.1°C
- April: 20.3°C
- May: 16.3°C
- June: 13.0°C
- July: 11.0°C
- August: 12.2°C
- September: 14.8°C
- October: 18.2°C
- November: 22.3°C
- December: 24.8°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Mar del Plata
- 192 - B - 4m (wreck)
- 201 - A - M.O.P. - 8m (wreck)
- 245 C - 7m (wreck)
- 252-C - 5m (wreck)
- 256 B - 3m (wreck)
- 325 C - 6m (wreck)
- ABucear - Centro de Buceo
- ABucear - Scuba Diving Center
- ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE - 8m (wreck)
- A.H.V.R NO.4 - 3m (wreck)
- ALBA - 5m (wreck)
- ALDOSIVI - 2m (wreck)
- Aldykir II - 1m (wreck)
- Alejandro Marcos B - 7m (wreck)
- ALFA II - 1m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to UNA PIPA
- ABucear - Centro de Buceo
- ACUATIKOS
- Alfa Buceo - ["PADI"]
- AM DIVE
- Amphibio
- Aquabaires Buceo - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Mar del Plata
Home to 33 recorded species including 19 reef fish, 7 sharks & rays, 3 whales & dolphins, 2 other, 1 crabs & lobsters, 1 sea snails & nudibranchs.
Notable Species
- South Atlantic Elephant-seal (Mirounga leonina) - Whales & Dolphins
- Bluewing Searobin (Prionotus punctatus) - Reef Fish
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Porgy (Pagrus pagrus) - Reef Fish
- American Elephantfish (Callorhinchus callorynchus)
- Bangamary (Macrodon ancylodon) - Reef Fish
- Elf (Pomatomus saltatrix) - Reef Fish
- Silverside (Odontesthes incisa) - Reef Fish
- Filetail Fanskate (Sympterygia lima) - Sharks & Rays
- Atlantic Lookdown (Selene vomer) - Reef Fish
- Blueback Mullet (Mugil liza) - Reef Fish
- Smallnose Fanskate (Sympterygia bonapartii) - Sharks & Rays
- Kingfish (Menticirrhus americanus) - Reef Fish
- American Harvestfish (Peprilus paru) - Reef Fish
- Ronco (Micropogonias furnieri) - Reef Fish
- Chilean Angel Shark (Squatina armata) - Sharks & Rays
- South-American Silver Porgy (Diplodus argenteus) - Reef Fish
- Apron Ray (Discopyge tschudii) - Sharks & Rays
- Eyespot skate (Atlantoraja cyclophora) - Sharks & Rays
- Moray (Muraena helena) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for UNA PIPA
Based on average water temperature of 19.1°C, currents 3 cm/s.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 19°C water
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories